Masakazu Kondō

Masakazu Kondō
Native name	近藤正和
Born	(1971-05-31) May 31, 1971 (age 53)
Hometown	Kashiwazaki, Niigata
Career
Achieved professional status	October 1, 1996(1996-10-01) (aged 25)
Badge Number	220
Rank	7-dan
Teacher	Yasuo Harada [ja] (9-dan)
Meijin class	Free
Ryūō class	6
Websites
JSA profile page

Masakazu Kondō (近藤 正和, Kondō Masakazu, May 31, 1971)is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He is known for developing the set of Cheerful Central Rook openings.

Early life and apprenticeship

Kondō was born on May 31, 1971, in Kashiwazaki, Niigata.^[1] He entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school in 1983 at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Yasuo Harada [ja] . He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1987, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 1996.^[2]

Shogi professional

Promotion history

Kondō's promotion history is as follows:^[3]

• 6-kyū: 1983
• 1-dan: 1987
• 4-dan: October 1, 1996
• 5-dan: September 12, 2001
• 6-dan: July 19, 2007
• 7-dan: May 20, 2021

Awards and honors

Kondō received the Japan Shogi Association the Masuda Award for 2001 as well as the Annual Shogi Awards for "Best Winning Percentage" and "Most Consecutive Games Won" for 2004.^[4]

References

1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Kondō Masakazu" 棋士データベース: 近藤正和 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Kondō] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
2. "Kishi Meikan: Rokudan Kondō Masakazu" 棋士名鑑: 六段 近藤 正和 [Player Directory: Masakazu Kondō 6-dan]. 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 (Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition) (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 569. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved February 18, 2019 – via Google Books.
3. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Kondō Masakazu Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 近藤正和 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Kondō Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
4. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Kondō Masakazu Shōgi Taishō" 棋士データベース: 近藤正和 将棋大賞 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Kondō Annual Shogi Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 18, 2019.

External links

• ShogiHub: Professional Player Info · Kondo, Masakazu
• Lectures on the Latest Strategies: Lecture 5: Gokigen Central Rook · discussion of Kondō's development of Cheerful Central Rook strategies.